


these are different times that we're living in

by soulfriend



Category: New Mutants (Comics), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, hints of karmirage, mentor scott
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:13:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28272918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soulfriend/pseuds/soulfriend
Summary: Things are changing on Krakoa-- especially for the New Mutants-- and Dani wishes they wouldn't.(Takes place after New Mutants v4 #14)
Relationships: Danielle Moonstar & Scott Summers, Xi'an Coy Manh & Danielle Moonstar
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	these are different times that we're living in

Dani approached the bench Scott was sitting on almost apprehensively. Dani had changed out of her team uniform after the day’s training session, but Scott was still wearing his. She sometimes wondered if he ever took it off.

“Dani!” Scott said, patting the open seat beside him. “What’s on your mind?”

She sat down with a sigh. “Today’s training session with the kids got me thinking about the team. The New Mutants.” Dani had never felt afraid when she’d talked to Scott in the past; out of all the older X-Men, he seemed to understand her the most. And she was no stranger to telling people how she really felt. So why did she feel so hesitant?

“What’s wrong? I know you’re a little tight on numbers lately. Do you need more members? I’m sure I can make that happen, I mean, Jean’s not on the Council anymore, but--”

“No, no, it’s not that,” Dani said, interrupting Scott’s out-loud train of thought. “I mean, yes, the team does feel a bit empty. But I don’t think anyone could fill that space besides the people who have already left.” She swallowed.

“Sam left a while ago. It was hard at first, but I got used to it. We still had everyone else. But now, Roberto’s gone, too, and so is Doug. It just doesn’t feel the same.” 

Scott nodded. “I know that the New Mutants have probably been the most tight-knit team the X-Men have had, so I see how losing three original members could put a strain on everyone.”

“I wouldn’t call it a strain, I… actually don’t know how I would describe it,” Dani said, thinking. “Everyone plays a role on that team. We don’t work as well together without everyone there.”

Scott gave a small shrug. “It’s not like we’re asking you to work with strangers. You’ve worked with James before, right? On X-Force?”

“Yeah, but… he’s different. We didn’t train together, grow up together, he’s not…” Oh, come on. She was not going to cry in front of Scott Summers. “It’s not the same.”

“You’ll adjust.” Scott patted her on the back gently. “It’s what we X-Men do.” They were silent for a moment, and then Scott asked her, “Anything else you wanted to talk to me about?”

“Yeah. I don’t know. I just…”

Her heart pounded. And now the part she’d been dreading.

“I feel like we’re losing what made the New Mutants the New Mutants. And that I can’t do anything about it, because I’m not team leader anymore.”

Scott was silent for a moment. He was hard to read with the visor, but Dani hoped he was just thinking.

“I do know how you feel. But you don’t need to have a title to make a difference.”

“I know that.” Dani cringed internally. She hoped that hadn’t sounded too harsh, but Scott didn’t seem bothered by it. She continued. “I mean, training the next generation of mutants, doing what Magneto did for us… it’s a great honor. But during today’s training session with the kids, seeing Illyana in the front, teaching them, making the decisions… I just felt so helpless. Like it should be me doing that, not her.”

Scott nodded again. “It’s tough to feel like someone else isn’t doing the job as well as you could. But I thought Illyana was the right choice to lead the team. At the time, it just felt right.”

“At the time?” Dani raised an eyebrow.

“I might feel differently about it than I initially did,” Scott admitted. “But ultimately, these decisions are Xavier’s to make, not mine. The Professor agreed that Illyana needed more leadership experience.” Scott shrugged. “She has potential.”

Dani held in a frustrated sigh. “I guess.”

“Just try to make the most out of where you are right now. I believe in you.” Scott put a steady hand on her shoulder and gave her a small smile. “I always have.”

* * *

“He says he’s always believed in me, but why won’t he stand up for me?” Dani threw her hands up in frustration. “I mean, Illyana’s fucking terrible with kids. And with people in general.” She stopped her fervent pacing to cross her arms, and Xuyen gave her one of her looks.

“You know things are different now,” she said. Dani rolled her eyes, and Xuyen frowned. “Come here.”

Dani took a seat next to Xuyen. “You helped me earlier. Now let me help you.” She ran a comforting hand over Dani’s back. “Tell me how you’re feeling.”

“Angry.” The answer was immediate.

“Well, I know that.” Xuyen laughed her bright laugh. “I don’t think I know a time when you weren’t angry, at least a little.”

“That might be true.” Dani couldn’t help but let a smile creep onto her face.

“What else?”

“I miss Doug. And Sam and Roberto.” Dani let the tears come, this time. “It’s just not the same without everyone here. And Scott was right, Jimmy’s a good guy to work with, but that’s what it feels like. Work.” She sniffed. “He’s not part of the family, our family. You know?”

Xuyen nodded. “Yeah.”

“And it’s so fucking  _ weird _ that Doug is  _ married, _ ” Dani said, and now she wasn’t sure if she was laughing or crying. “To a woman he can’t even understand, at that. And, what, did he kick Warlock out of his life or something? Doug would never do that.”

“It is strange,” Xuyen agreed. “He’ll come around, I think.” She gave Dani a sideways glance, a mischievous smirk on her face. “If not, I can always make him.”

Dani laughed again. Come to think of it, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d done it.

“Everyone on this goddamn island feels like they’ve been replaced by robots, and all my friends are slowly leaving me, but at least I have you.” After saying it, Dani’s heart stopped cold. “You’d better not be leaving me too.”

Xuyen took Dani’s hand in both of hers. “If I do, you’d better raise hell, because I would never do that to you.” Dani felt another bout of tears coming on. She engulfed Xuyen in a tight embrace.

“Thank you,” she said as Xuyen hugged her back.

“Always,” Xuyen whispered, and Dani felt safe for the first time she had in a while.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! find me on tumblr [@samberto](https://samberto.tumblr.com)! : )


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